Disappointment
by hersheygal
Summary: Juliet tells Jack the truth about his father, why he was never around for Jack as a child. Par Avion Spoilers One Shot


Disappointment

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: This is based on the Claire/Jack theory that they are brother and sister.

Ten year old Jack Shephard ran into the house. "Mom I'm home!" He called.

His mom appeared from the kitchen and smiled at him. "Hi Jack. How was school?"

Jack set his backpack down as his mom placed a plate at the table. Jack sat on the chair and ate the cheese and crackers his mom had set out for him.

"School was good. I beat Mark at the spelling bee." Jack grinned broadly.

"Oh really? Great job."

"I can't wait until tonight!" Jack said excitedly.

"Oh?" Margo avoided Jack's gaze.

"Dad said that we were going to play baseball!"

"Jack..I need to tell you something." Margo bent down beside Jack.

"Dad's working isn't he?" Jack's smile quickly turned to a look of disappointment.

Margo cupped Jack's face with her hand. "Your dad had to go to Australia to help at the hospital there again."

Jack looked down and seemed to be fighting tears.

Margo gently lifted his face. "Jack look at me. You know your dad loves you. He just has to work."

"Yeah." Jack pushed his plate away. "I'm not hungry. I'm going to my room."

"Jack." Margo called as she watched her son run up the stairs to his room. She sighed and went into the kitchen where she picked up the phone. Christian had gone to Australia a lot in the last couple of months and she was suspicious of him. She called the hospital where a nurse answered.

"My husband is working there and I'd like to talk to him." Margo said.

"What is your husband's name?" The nurse asked.

"Dr. Christian Shephard. He's a spinal surgeon."

"Let me look him up." The nurse spent a couple of minutes looking for Christian's number before coming back to the phone. "There's no Dr. Shepherd here. He hasn't been here for months. I'm sorry."

Margo closed her eyes as her heart sank. "Okay thank you." She whispered.

"Mom?"

Margo opened her eyes to see Jack staring at her with a basketball in his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Of course honey." Margo forced a smile to her face.

Jack went over to her and gave her a hug with his free arm. "I love you mom."

"I love you too. I'm sorry your father couldn't be with you."

'It's ok. Would it be all right if I went to play ball with Mark?" jack asked.

"Of course. Just be home for dinner at six."

"Okay." Jack ran out the door.

Margo slowly walked to the kitchen table and sat down. She had a feeling that her husband had been cheating on her, and now she was sure of it. Now she just had to call him.

Christian sat in the living room of the house with his daughter sleeping in his arms as he sang 'Catch a Falling Star' to her.

He felt like a failure. He had failed his wife, his son, his daughter, and a woman that he hardly even knew.

Carol walked into the living room and smiled at him. "Thank you, for coming here so much. I want Claire to know who her father is."

Christian smiling, the guilt tearing through him. Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He gave Claire to Carol and went into the backyard where he answered the phone. "Hello."

"Christian?"

Christian closed his eyes. It was Margo. "Hi."

"So how's the work at the hospital?"

Christian's heart skipped a beat. She knew.

"It's great."

"Seeing anyone… special?"

"Why would you say that?" Christian asked, playing along.

Margo sighed. "Look Christian. I don't want to know who, or what. I just want you to know that I have our son here, and you've yet again disappointed him."

"Let me talk to Jack."

"He's gone. He's outside with Mark."

Christian shook his head. Jack had been friends with Mark ever since he had stood up to the bullies that had attacked Mark. He remembered his son coming in, seeing how bruised up he was, and all that Christian had told him was that he couldn't be a hero because he was afraid of failure. That was a laugh. Now Christian was the failure and Jack was dragged into it all.

"When Jack gets home have him call me."

"I don't think that's a good idea. You'll just make another false promise. I don't want to have to lie to Jack again Christian. Do you even care about Jack? Do you even care about me?" Margo whispered the last part.

"You know I love you, and Jack. You're everything to me."

"Well everything apparently isn't enough for you." Margo hung up the phone.

…………………………

Jack sat on the couch in his house, not believing the sight. He had been with the Others for four days and he still didn't believe it.

The Others had electricity and water. Ever since they had brought him here, they'd treated him like one of their own.

Juliet and Jack had been spending a lot of time together. Tom had joked with Jack that they were getting a little too close.

"You guys gonna move into a house together?" Tom had asked Jack with a grin.

Jack shook his head, smiling, but inwardly wanting to throw up. Tom treated him like Jack was his best friend.

There was a knock at his door and Jack went to open it. "Juliet." Jack said with a grin.

"Hey Jack." Juliet smiled. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

"Okay." Jack followed her out of the house and they walked over to the big community center. No one was inside, and Jack followed her into the hallway. "Now close your eyes." Juliet said with a smile as they reached a closed room.

"Okay." Jack closed his eyes and Juliet opened the door and grabbed Jack's arm, leading him into the room. "Now open them."

Jack opened his eyes and gasped. Standing in front of him was a piano. Jack immediately sat down and gently touched a key.

"It's tuned and ready for you to play." Juliet said with a smile.

"How did you know I play?" Jack asked.

Juliet just gave Jack a look, and Jack understood. "Oh it's that file huh?"

"Yeah."

Jack started playing some scales, and Juliet leaned on the top of the piano with her elbows as she admired Jack.

"No one has played the piano since.." Juliet trailed off.

"Since when Juliet?" Jack asked softly.

"Since Ethan died."

Jack looked down.

"Can you play anything?" Juliet asked.

"Yeah." Jack began to play a song and Juliet smiled as she closed her eyes, fighting tears.

After Jack finished, Juliet slid in beside him on the bench, and Jack stared at her.

"I want to tell you something Jack." Juliet said.

"Okay."

"Your father wasn't around for you when you were growing up."

"I knew that." Jack said, not smiling.

"Well you don't know why." Juliet met Jack's eyes and his eyes widened. "What are you talking about Juliet?"

"If they find out I told you, it won't be good."

Jack nodded.

"Your dad was in Australia because he had a affair."

Jack looked down and closed his eyes.

Juliet placed a hand on Jack's wrist. "Jack, that's not all. The woman your father was with, got pregnant. You aren't a only child."

"What?" Jack's head shot up.

"You have a sister."

"Where is she? Is she in Australia? Does she know about me?" Jack asked a number of questions.

"Jack! Jack!" Juliet tried to calm him down. "Your sister is here, on this island."

"What?" Jack's heart sank. He didn't know if he could handle his sister being an Other.

"You know her."

"It can't be you." Jack frowned.

"No. No it's not me. It's Claire."

Jack's eyes widened. "Claire? But that means, I'm a uncle."

"That's right."

"How do you know this?" Jack asked, not ready to believe it.

"The file."

"I want to see it."

"You can't see it Jack. You'll just have to trust me."

Jack started to pace the room. He looked at Juliet, and Juliet's heart tore apart at the disappointment and hurt written across his face.

Jack knew that he would never be able to tell Claire that he was her brother. He would never be able to see his nephew grow up. His nephew would never have an aunt. Jack stopped. His nephew would never have a grandfather.

A/N: Please let me know what you thought!


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